UNITED  STATES  DEPARTMENT  OF  AGRICULTURE 


Washington,  D.  C. 


685 


Issued  October,  1915 
Revised  September,  1923 


THE  NATIVE  PERSIMMON. 


By  W.  F.  Fletcher, 

Scientific  Assistant,  Office  ofi  Horticultural  and  Pomological  Investigations, 

Bureau  ofi  Plant  Industry. 


CONTENTS. 


I’ago. 

Introduciioii .  1 

Botanical  classification .  2 

Natural  distribution  of  the  persimmon .  2 

General  description  of  the  persimmon .  3 

Possibilities  of  improvement .  5 

Present  status  of  the  native  persimmon .  6 


Page. 

Propagation  of  the  persimmon .  7 

Cultivation  of  the  persimmon .  19 

Diseases  and  insect  pests .  20 

U ses  of  the  persimmon  tree .  21 

U ses  of  the  persimmon  fruit .  21 

Selected  and  cultivated  named  varieties .  2-i 


INTRODUCTION. 

The  persimmon  seems  to  have  been  the  first  native  American  fruit 
to  be  described  and  praised  by  the  early  explorers.  De  Soto  learned 
its  food  value  in  1539,  and  in  1557  published  an  account  of  it  at 
Evora,  Portugal.  The  following  year,  1558,  Jan  de  Laet  described 
the  persimmon  in  his  work  on  Virginia.  John  Smith  s  narrative  of 
the  settlements  and  resources  of  the  New  World,  written  during  the 
first  years  of  the  seventeenth  century,  included  a  long  discussion  of 
the  persimmon.  In  his  reference  to  this  fruit,  where  he  says  ‘  ^  If  it  be 
not  ripe,  it  will  draw  a  man’s  mouth  awrie  with  much  torment,  he 
so  well  characterizes  the  puckering,  astringent  effect  of  the  tannin 
contamed  in  the  immature  fruit  that  no  other  comment  is  necessary. 

The  persimmon  tree  has  received  more  criticism,  both  adverse  and 
favorable,  than  almost  any  other  known  species.  Those  who  have 
discussed  the  food  value  of  the  fruit,  from  the  earliest  chroniclers  to 
recent  writers,  have  prophesied  that  the  tree  would  soon  be  accorded 
a  place  in  our  gardens  and  orchards.  Those  people,  on  the  othei 
hand  who  have  been  acquainted  only  with  the  immature  fruit  or 
with  the  young  sprouts  in  cultivated  fields  have  had  nothing  to  say 

NOTE.-This  is  a  general  bulletin,  intended  for  those  to  whom  knowledge  of  the  production,  prepara 
tion,  and  uses  of  the  native  persimmon  is  of  value. 


hcc 

KcU 


47676'’— 23— Bull.  685 - 1 


2 


FARMERS^  BULLETIN  685. 


in  its  favor  and  have  bent  their  energies  toward  its  destruction  rather 
than  its  propagation  and  cidtivation. 

There  are  several  factors  which  are  responsible  for  the  slow  progress 
of  persimmon  development  in  this  count ly.  One  reason  for  the 
neglect  of  this  fruit  seems  to  he  the  erroneous  yet  oft -repeated  state¬ 
ment  that  persimmons  are  unfit  to  eat  until  they  have  either  been 
touched  by  frost  or  frozen.  Although  this  stat('ment  has  been 
corrected  by  nearly  every  one  who  has  studied  the  subject,  neverthe¬ 
less  throughout  the  regions  where  persimmons  are  grown  many  of  the 
l)cst  fruits  are  lost  each  year  because  they  ripen  and  fall  before  frost 
or  l)efore  they  are  supposed  to  be  edible.  The  truth  of  the  matter 
is  that  freezing  is  as  detrimental  to  the  quality  of  persimmons  as  to 
the  quality  of  any  other  fruit.  If  persimmons  are  not  edible  and 
free  from  astringency  before  frost,  it  is  because  the  variety  is  a  late 
one  and  the  fruit  has  not  yet  matured. 

The  development  of  the  persimmon,  whether  for  orchard  or  orna¬ 
mental  purposes,  has  been  retarded  by  the  difficulty  encountered  in 
propagating  and  transplanting  it.  One  grower  has  characterized  it 
as  the  only  tree  that  he  could  not  kiU  in  his  cultivated  fields  and  the 
only  one  that  he  could  not  make  live  in  his  garden.  F ailure  in 
transplanting  is  usually  due  to  a  lack  of  knowledge  concerning  the 
characteristic  root  development  of  the  persimmon.  Under  natural 
conditions,  the  roots  penetrate  much  deeper  into  the  soil  than  those 
of  most  other  fruit  trees,  and  unless  great  care  is  exercised  when  the 
tree  is  taken  up  it  is  almost  impossible  to  get  more  than  a  small 
percentage  of  the  root  system,  thu$  reducing  tlie  chance  of  making 
the  tree  live  when  transplanted. 

From  time  to  time  valuable  trees  have  been  discovered,  cared  for, 
and  even  in  some  cases  transplanted  or  propagated.  Most  of  these 
have  been  soon  neglected  or  destroyed,  until  there  are  comparatively 
few  varieties  of  marked  value  available  for  general  distribution. 

Both  Ue  Soto  and  Jan  de  Laet  when  describing  the  ripe  fruit  of 
the  native  persimmon  call  it  a  ‘Alelicious  little  ])him,”  and  John 
Smith  and  other  writers  of  the  seventeenth  century  speak  of  it  as  a 
plum  with  the  flavor  of  an  apricot.  This  use  of  the  word  ^^plum^’ 
doubtless  directed  the  attention  of  many  people  to  the  native  species 
of  Prunus,  which  include  our  wild  cherries  and  ])lums. 

BOTANICAL  CLASSIFICATION. 

The  persimmon  belongs  to  the  ebony  family  (Ebenace^e)  and  is 
known  to  botanists  as  Diosjyyros  virginiana.  It  is  tlie  only  member 
of  the  famil}"  which  is  indigenous  to  any  extensive  portion  of  this 
country. 

NATURAL  DISTRIBUTION  OF  THE  PERSIMMON. 

Roughly  speaking,  the  persimmon  is  indigenous  to  the  south¬ 
eastern  quarter  of  the  United  States,  being  found  in  large  numbers 


//  V t  o 


THE  NATIVE  PERSIMMON. 


3 


in  tho  fields  and  forests  of  tliut  scHitiou.  ^rhe  more  favored  localities 
in  Iowa  and  eastern  Nebraska  produce  many  fruits,  but  very  few 
trees  are  found  west  of  central  Kansas.  Scattering  specimens  in 
Connecticut  and  on  Long  Island  mark  the  pres<uit  nortbeast(‘ni 
limit  of  tbe  species.  A  few  trees  in  Kbode  Island,  Lew  York,  and 
Michigan  which  produce  fairly  well  indicate  that  the  northern  limit 
of  cultivation  may  be  extended 
whenever  economic  conditions  (that 
is,  the  value  of  the  fruit  for  food  or 
of  the  tree  for  ornamental  purposes) 
seem  to  warrant. 

The  zone  of  greatest  productivity 
and  adaptability,  wherein  appear 
by  far  the  largest  number  of  prom¬ 
ising  types,  extends  from  Maryland, 

Virginia,  and  the  Carolinas  west¬ 
ward  through  Missouri  and  Arkan¬ 
sas.  The  persimmon  thrives  equally 
well  on  the  sands  of  the  Coastal 
Plain,  the  shales  of  the  Allegheny 
Mountains,  the  muck  of  the  river- 
bottom  lands,  and  the  chert  of  the 
Ozarks. 


GENERAL  DESCRIPTION  OF  THE 
PERSIMMON. 


HABIT  OF  GROWTH. 

Throughout  the  habitat  of  the 
persimmon  there  is  a  wide  variation 
in  the  size  and  growth  of  the  trees 
and  in  the  form,  size,  color,  and 
number  of  seeds  of  the  fruit.  The 
tree  characters  seem  to  indicate 
two  types,  upright  and  drooping, 
and  these  tree  types  are  closely 
allied  with  the  fruit  types. 

When  groMui  in  the  open,  persim¬ 
mon  trees  rarely  reach  a  height  of 
50  feet.  In  a  dense  forest  growth  they  sometimes  reach  70  or  100 
feet,  but  that  is  uncommon.  The  characteristic  checking  of  tbe 
bark  of  an  old  tree,  which  is  shown  in  figure  1 ,  aids  one  to  recognize', 
the  species.  The  top  of  the  tree  is  usually  roundish  or  conical  in 
form.  Large  trees  are  often  somewhat  iiTegular,  owing  to  tla^ 
breaking  of  limbs  by  heavy  crops  of  fruit;  moreover,  it  is  a  charjict er¬ 
istic  of  productive  trees  to  prune  themselves  by  dropping  many  of  the 
fruit-bearing  twigs.  Tbe  brancb(>s  are  always  s])i<'nding,  olteii 


1.— An  old  persimmon  tree  \vhich  shov.'s 
the  characteristic  checking  of  the  bark. 


4 


FAK:\rERS"  BULLETIN  685. 


coming  out  almost  at  right  angles  to  the  trunk  and  then  drooping 
more  or  less,  especially  after  the  tree  has  homo  a  few  crops. 

The  leaves  are  elliptical  or  slightly  ovate  in  form,  acuminato  at  the 
apex,  measuring  from  3  to  6  inches  in  length  and  1  to  3  inches  in 
v/idth,  vrith  a  short  petiole.  In  color,  they  are  a  dark  glossy  green 
on  tile  upper  surface  and  a  grayish  green  underneath.  Trees  differ 
markedly,  however,  in  habits  of  growth,  as  is  shown  in  figures  2,  3, 
and  4. 

FLOWERING  HABIT. 


Tlie  flovrers  resemble  little  four-lipped  urns 
to  three-fourths  of  an  inch  in  length,  the  color 


Fig.  2.— a  persimmon  tree  of  the  upright  type  which  produces  large 
oblate  fruits  and  is  here  used  as  a  dooryard  tree. 

while  it  is  generally  distributed  by  the  bees 


of  wax,  from  one-fourth 
varying  from  a  greenish 
yellow  to  a  milky 
white.  They  are 
borne  on  short  stalks 
and  appear  from  the 
last  of  April  in  the 
extreme  South  until 
the  middle  of  June 
at  the  northern  limit 
of  the  persimmon 
habitat. 

The  trees  are  gen¬ 
erally  dioecious;  that 
is,  the  pollen-bearing 
and  fruit-producing 
flowers  are  borne  on 
separate  trees.  The 
pistillate  or  fruit- 
producing  flowers  are 
])orne  singly,  while 
the  staminate  or  pol¬ 
len  -  bearing  flowers 
are  generally  pro¬ 
duced  in  tlmees.  The 
pollen  is  very  light 
and  powdery,  and 
that  frequent  the  tree? 


.s 


in  great  numbers  during  blossoming  time  it  can  also  be  carried  to 

o  o 


great  distances  by  the  wind. 


FRUIT  CHARACTERS. 


The  fruit  is  a  true  berry,  containing  sometimes  as  many  as  eight 
seeds  in  its  pale,  translucent  flesh.  It  varies  in  form  from  oblate  to 
oblong  and  in  diameter  from  three-fourths  of  an  inch  to  2  inches. 


THE  NATIVE  PERSIMAIOX. 


There  is  a  wide  range  in  color,  varying  from  yellow  to  pale  orange 
and  even  to  a  dark  red,  with  many  varietal  markings,  often  blushed 
and  covered  with  a  hliiish  hloom.  W^hen  green,  persimmons  are  gen¬ 
erally  very  astringent  and  piickery,  because  of  the  large  quantity  of 
tannin  contained  in  the  flesh,  hut  when  thoroughly  mature  and  ripe 
the  flavor  is  rich  and  sweet,  and  the  consistency  varies  between  that 
of  a  baked  apple  and  a  soft  custard.  The  fruits  of  many  late  varieties 
turn  a  rich  dark  red 
and  partially  dry  on 
the  trees,  somewhat 
resembling  dates  in 
appearance  and  fla¬ 
vor. 


POSSIBILITIES  OF  IM¬ 
PROVEMENT. 


The  season  of  the 
native  persimmon  is 
probably  longer  than 
that  of  any  other  wild 
fruit,  both  locally  and 
over  the  country  as  a 
whole.  In  many  sec¬ 
tions  the  earliest  and 
the  latest  varieties 
may  be  found  grow¬ 
ing  side  by  side,  or 
at  least  within  a  few 
miles  of  each  other. 

The  Bureau  of  Plant 
Industry  has  records 
for  both  early  and 
late  varieties  from  the 
southern  part  of  Georgia  and  Florida.  In  the  District  of  Columbia 
there  are  some  trees  which  ripen  their  fruit  in  August  and  others  on 
which  it  hangs  until  February. 

Generally  speaking,  the  best  fruits  are  neither  the  earliest  nor  the 
latest,  but  rather  those  that  ripen  just  before  the  beginning  of  the 
tree’s  dormant  season.  The  latest  varieties  are  still  inimatuie  when 
the  leaves  fall  or  when  they  are  killed  by  frost,  and  they  must  com¬ 
plete  the  ripening  process  within  themselves  instead  of  di  awing 
nourishment  from  the  tree  until  they  have  grown  to  maturity. 

The  largest  as  well  as  the  best  fruits  are  those  that  ripen  about  the 
time  the  trees  shed  their  leaves.  The  early  varieties  are  nearly  all 
medium  in  size,  and  the  late  varieties  which  hang  on  until  cold  weather 


FARMERS^  BULLETIX  685. 


3 


are  geuorally  siiiall.  Seedless  fruits,  as  a  rule,  are  smaller  and  earlier 
than  those  with  seeds  produced  on  the  same  trees. 

The  wide  variations  shown  hy  the  fruit  in  size,  color,  seasoji  of 
maturity,  and  tendency  to  seedlessness,  and  by  the  trees  hi  size, 
shape,  and  vegetative  vigor  indicate  the  possibility  of  greatly  im¬ 
proving  the  native  persimmon.  Up  to  the  present  time  one  essential 
factor  has  been  overlooked  in  all  attempts  at  breeding  better  varieties. 
That  factor  is  the  parentage  of  the  male  or  pollen-hearing  trees. 
Without  a  knowledge  of  the  characters  represented  in  the  male 
parent  there  is  no  certainty  as  to  the  results  of  the  crossing  and  no 
possibility  of  the  line  breeding  which  is  essential  to  the  rapid  develop¬ 
ment  of  improved  varieties.  Definite  efforts  should  be  made  in 
^ breeding  work  to  se¬ 
cure  pollen  -  bearing 
trees  of  known  par¬ 
entage.  They  should 
be  selected  from 
among  trees  grown 
from  seed  produced 
on  the  most  desirable 
fruit-bearing  trees. 


Throughout  the  re¬ 
gion  where  persim¬ 
mons  are  found  in 
abundance  the  fruit 
is  considered  as  being 
‘  ^good  for  dogs,  hogs, 
and  ’possums.’’  Oc¬ 
casionally  a  family 
is  mentioned  as  hav¬ 
ing  lived  for  several 
months  upon  the  fruit 
from  a  single  large 


Fig.  4. — A  persimmon  tree  which  hc.s  a  drooping  habit  of  gi’owth  and 
produces  fruit  of  the  oblong  type. 


PRESENT  STATUS  OF 
THE  NATIVE  PER¬ 
SIMMON. 


tree.  Twenty  or  thirty  nurserymen  are  selling  seedling  trees  for 
ornamental  planting  and  half  a  dozen  others  have  selected  named 
varieties  of  special  merit  which  they  offer  for  the  production  of 
fruit. 

In  some  of  the  large  cities  and  towns  within  the  persimmon  habitat, 
the  wild  fruit  can  be  purchased  during  the  autumn  and  early  winter 
from  the  dealers  who  occupy  the  open  stalls  in  the  public  markets. 
A  few  enterprising  growers  adjacent  to  large  cities  have  built  up  a 
demand  which  tlu'v  find  themselves  unable  to  supply. 


THE  NATIVE  PERSIMMON. 


7 

G  1  ct  ocl^  ( f  tho  porsiinmoii  arc  at  present  rather 

limited.  Fresh  fruit  is  used  in  various  ways — in  making  a  few  forms 
of  bread  or  pone,  in  preparing  certain  homemade  beverages  and 
sweetmeats,  and  as  forage  foi'  the  hogs  and  dogs  which  get  n ost  of 
their  living  from  the  woods. 

The  object  of  this  publication  is  to  set  forth  the  best  nietlxods  of 
propagating  and  cultivating  persimmon  trees,  to  call  attention  to  tlu^ 
many  trees  worthy  of  propagation,  to  indicate  the  food  value  of  the 
fruit,  and  to  enumerate  various  ways  in  which  persimmons  may  be 
prepared. 

PROPAGATION  OF  THE  PERSIMMON. 


As  is  the  case  with  most  tree  fruits,  the  persimmon  does  not  repro¬ 
duce  its  varietal  characteristics  through  the  seed,  and  other  methods 
of  propagation  are,  therefore,  necessary  to  perpetuate  desirable  vari¬ 
eties.  Propagation  of  the  persimmon  by  the  methods  commonly  em¬ 
ployed  with  tree  fruits  is  more  difhcult  than  for  such  fruits  as  the 
apple  or  the  peach.  The  methods  described  below  have  been  found 
successful  in  actual  practice. 

SEED  AGE. 


The  seeds  of  the  persimmon  are  scattered  by  mammals  and  birds 
and  in  the  natural  secpience  of  events  reach  the  ground  in  the  fall  or 
winter  without  becoming  dry.  They  are  lightly  covered  with  grass 
or  leaves  and  are  subjected  to  the  varying  temperatures  of  winter, 
always  remaining  moist.  The  following  spring  the  seeds  sprout  as 
soon  as  the  soil  becomes  warm  enough,  provided  that  the  conditions 
accompanying  the  rise  in  temperature  do  not  dry  them  unduly. 
Seeds  which  fall  under  the  trees  are  usually  too  much  exposed  to  the 
atmosphere  and  dry  too  much  to  admit  of  germination. 

Seeds  that  are  gathered  for  propagating  purposes  should  be  strati¬ 
fied  at  once.  If  they  are  allowed  to  dry  out  it  is  often  necessaiy  to 
soak  them  for  two  or  three  days  before  they  are  planted,  the  watei 
b(^ng  renewed  each  day  at  a  boiling  temperature. 

The  seed  bed  in  which  persimmon  seedlings  are  grown  should  he 
located  on  well-drained  land  where  the  soil  is  rather  light  and  w(dl 
supplied  with  humus.  The  ground  should  be  plowed  deep  with  a 
subsoil  plow  unless  the  subsoil  is  friable  enough  to  permit  the  ready 
penetration  of  the  long  taproots  which  characterize  the  growth  of 

persimmon  seedlings.  /•  i  • 

The  seed  may  be  planted  either  in  the  fall  or  spring,  after  being 

troated  as  described  alwve.  It  is  commonly  planted  in  shallow  drills 
and  lightly  covered  with  soil  to  a  depth  of  one-half  inch  or  a  little 

more. 


8 


FARJMEKS’  BULLETIN  (^'5. 


ci:tta(je. 


KOOT  CUTTIN’CS. 


Tlu'  Toots  of  poTsiiuinoii  trees  sprout  readily  wlieii  the  top  is  re- 
jiioved  or  ^vlu'u  the  main  stem  meets  with  serious  injury.  Tliis  is 
illustrated  in  figure  o,  wliieh  shows  the  development  of  s])routs  on 
the  roots  of  a  seedling  tree  two  months  after  tlie  removal  of  the  top. 

1  )uring  this  period  the 
seedling  had  lieen  in 
a  ])ropagating  hed  in 
a  greenhouse,  under 
artificial  heat.  This 
illustration  also  offers 
an  explanation  for  the 
occurrence  of  the  large 
clumps  of  similar  trees 
that  are  to  he  found 
in  many  abandoned 
fields.  At  some  time 
the  original  tree  was 
cut  off  near  the  surface 
of  the  ground  and  the 
roots  sent  up  sprouts 
which,  being  undis¬ 
turbed,  developed  into 
trees  hearing  similar 
fruit. 

Roots  the  size  of  a 
lead  pencil  or  larger 
can  he  nsed  in  propa¬ 
gating  the  persim¬ 
mon.  They  should  he 
cut  hito  pieces  6  or  8 
inches  long,  the  ends 
sealed  wi th  gi'af t  ing 
wax,  hot  beeswax,  or 
])itch,  in  order  to  pre¬ 
vent  the  decav  that 

V 

develops  rajiidly  in  the  soft,  spongy  wood,  and  the  cuttmgs  should 
then  he  buried  over  winter  in  sand  or  in  a  nurserv  row.  Thev  will 
grow  readily  the  following  spring,  provided  the  moisture  supply  is 
plentiful  until  they  become  well  estahlislicd. 


Fig.  5. — A  2-year-ol(l  seedling  persimmon  tree  ■which  has  been  grafted. 
It  has  l)een  in  a  propagating  bed  in  a  greenhouse  under  artificial 
heat  for  two  months.  The  sprouts  on  the  roots  show  how  easily 
the  roots  may  be  used  as  a  means  of  propagating  the  variety. 


■WOOD  CUTTINGS. 


Cuttings  of  the  Itrtmches  may  ht^  treated  in  much  tlie  saiiu*  wtiy  as 
root  cuttings.  Small  twigs  arc  unsuit  abb'  for  purposes  of  ])ro})aga- 


THE  NATIVE  PERSIAIMUN. 


9 


tion  (1)  because  they  lack  sufficient  substance  to  produce  the 
callus  and  root  formation  and  (2)  because  it  is  extremely  difficult 
to  prevent  the  organisms  of  decay  from  entering  the  soft,  porous, 
1-year-old  wood.  The  cuttings  should  he  waxed  or  pitched  at  both 
ends  and  buried  until  well  callused  and  the  roots  have  started. 

They  may  then  he  planted  in  a  nursery  row  and  vegetative^  growth 
encouraged. 

Wood  2  or  3  years  old  may  he  selected  for  cuttings,  hut  care  must 
be  exercised  to  procure  good,  strong  buds.  The  cuttings  may  he 
taken  at  any  time  after  the  trees  become  dormant  in  the  fall  and 
may  he  placed  in  cold  storage  or  in  sand  until  wanted.  It  is  most 
important,  however,  that  the  ends  of  the  cuttings  should  he  dipped 
immediately  into  melted  wax  in  order  to  exclude  the  air.  If  they 
have  been  exposed  for  even  a  few  hours  they  should  he  retrimmed 
and  waxed  before  being  put  in  cold  storage  or  sand. 

GRAFTAGE. 

Those  who  have  trees  bearing  exceptionally  fine  persimmons  will 
find  the  different  methods  of  grafting  admirally  adapted  to  top¬ 
working  the  worthless  trees  about  the  place  with  the  better  varieties, 
thus  changing  them  to  useful  fruitfulness. 

Top-worked,  or  grafted,  portions  of  old  trees  will  hear  two  or  three 
years  earlier  than  trees  which  come  from  buds  or  grafts  on  1  or  2 
year  old  stocks.  These  seedling  stocks,  hudded  or  grafted  with 
a  selected  variety,  will  hear  one  or  two  years  earlier  than  tliose  pro¬ 
duced  from  cuttings. 

The  scions  to  he  used  in  chip  budding,  cleft  grafting,  and  whip 
grafting  should  he  cut  during  late  winter.  All  scions  should  he  kept 
cool  and  moist  until  used.  The  budding  and  grafting  sliould  ho 
done  as  soon  as  the  trees  which  are  to  be  grafted  start  to  grow. 

Because  of  the  similarity  in  the  operations  of  budding  and  grafting 
they  are  here  treated  together  under  the  general  heading  of  graftage. 
The  various  methods  which  have  been  found  to  l)c  ])est  ada})ted  to 
the  persimmon  are  here  discussed. 


SELECTION  OF  SCIONS  AND  BUD  STICKS. 

When  selecting  scions  or  liud  sticks  care  jnust  lie  exercised,  just  as 
when  propagating  by  wood  cuttings,  to  procure  vood  with  stiong 
well-developed  buds.  On  twigs  of  the  last  season’s  growth  the  best 
buds  are  generally  near  the  base,  where  they  ai-c  supported  on  more 
mature  wood  than  those  near  the  tip.  In  wood  more  than  a  year 
old,  most  of  the  buds  near  the  tip  have  already  produceil  liranches, 
thus  making  this  portion  of  the  twig  unsuita})le  for  use  in  budding 

or  grafting. 

The  method  employed  in  budding  persimmons  largely  determines 
the  character  of  the  wood  that  should  be  selected  as  a  source  of  buds 
47676°— Bull.  6cS5— 23 - 2 


10 


fak:\iers^  bulletin  685. 


For  the  common  sliield  or  T  hiid,  the  basal  half  of  tlie  new  growth 
is  preferable  because  the  bark  is  thinner  than  that  on  older  wood 
and  tlie  buds  fit  closer  and  better  than  where  wood  with  older  and 
thicker  hark  is  used.  Moreover,  the  buds  near  the  base  of  the  new 
wood  are  better  than  those  toward  the  tip,  because  the  latter  are  so 
irregular  in  outline  that  it  is  difficult  to  fit  them  closely  to  the  stock. 

When  the  chip-hud  method  is  used  it  is  essential  that  the  bud 
stick  have  sufficient  body  to  allow  the  removal  of  the  hud  with  a 
clean,  solid  chip  adhering  thereto.  A  bud  stick  should  never  he 
larger  than  the  stock  on  which  the  buds  are  to  be  worked.  If  it  is 
too  large  in  relation  to  the  size  of  the  stock  which  is  to  receive  the 
bud,  the  chip  will  be  so  broad  and  flat  that  it  can  not  be  properly 

fitted  into  any  notch  which  it  is 
possible  to  make  in  the  stock. 

For  annular  or  patch  budding, 
the  most  satisfactory  buds  are 
those  taken  from  wood  that  is 
2,  3,  or  even  4  years  old.  Such 
buds  are  but  lightly  attached  to 
the  wood  and  have  a  good  body 
of  bark,  which  makes  them  easy 
to  handle  and  not  liable  to  dry 
out.  Buds  taken  from  near  the 
])ase  of  large,  vigorous,  new  shoots 
will  also  give  good  results. 

The  various  methods  of  bud¬ 
ding  and  grafting  that  have 
proved  satisfactory  in  propagat¬ 
ing  the  persimmon  have  been  de¬ 
scribed  in  detail  in  publications 
of  the  Department  of  Agriculture  relating  to  other  fruits  and  to  nuts. 
For  convenience  in  the  present  connection,  extracts  from  these  pub¬ 
lications  are  inserted  below. 


cl 


Fit..  6. — The  dilTerent  .steps  in  shield  or  T  budding: 
a,  Cutting  the  bud;  &,  preparing  the  stock;  c,  in¬ 
serting  the  bud;  d,  ttnrig. 


SHIELD  OR  ‘‘t”  budding.^ 

The  height  at  which  hiids  are  inserted  [where  small  seedling  stocks  are  used]  varies 
with  the  operator.  In  general,  the  nearer  the  ground  the  Letter.  The  cut  for  the 
reception  of  the  hud  is  made  in  the  shape  of  a  letter  T.  (Fig.  6,  b.)  Usually  the 
crosscut  is  not  quite  at  right  angles  with  the  body  of  the  tree,  and  the  stem  to  the  T 
starts  at  the  crosscut  and  extends  toward  the  root  for  an  inch  or  more.  The  flajis  of 
bark  caused  by  the  intersection  of  the  two  cuts  are  slightly  loosened  with  the  ivory 
heel  of  the  budding  knife,  and  the  bud,  grasped  by  the  leaf  sten;  as  a  handle,  is  placed 
under  the  flaps  and  firmly  pushed  in  place  until  its  cut  surface  is  entirely  in  contact 
with  the  peeled  body  of  the  stock.  (Fig.  0,  c.)  A  ligature  is  then  tightly  drawn 
about,  above,  and  below  the  bud,  to  hold  it  in  place  until  a  union  .shall  be  formed. 


1  Corbett,  L.  C.  The  propagation  of  plants.  Farmers’  Bulletin  157,  pp.  22-23. 


the  native  PEHSIAIMOX. 


11 


(I-ig.O  </.)  Bands  of  raffia  al.oul  Sor  lOiudus  long  mako  a  most  <  onvomont  .ving 
material.  As  soon  as  the  hnds  have  nnited  with  the  stock  Die  ligainre  should  he’ent 
in  order  to  prevent  girdling  (he  stock.  This  <lone,  the  operation  is  complete  until  the 
following  spring,  when  all  the  trees  in  which  the  Imds  have  “taken  ”  should  have  the 
top  cut  off  just  above  the  bud. 


Shield  budding  may  he  done  at  any  time  when  the  trees  are  in 
vigorous  growth  and  when  well-matured  buds  of  the  current  season’s 


growth  can  he  obtained.  This  period  usually  extends  from  July  to 
September.  When  budding  seedlings  it  may  sometimes  be  necessary 
to  delay  the  operation  until  tlie  latter  part  oi  the  season,  in  order  that 
the  stock  may  develop  to  a  satisfactory  size;  but  when  top-working 
older  trees  by  this  method  well- 
developed  buds  may  be  handled 
whenever  the  trees  are  in  a  vigor- 
ous  condition  of  growth.  Figure  7 
shows  a  branch  of  a  young  per¬ 
simmon  tree  on  which  a  shield 
or  T  bud  has  made  considerable 
growth. 

.  Some  of  the  precautions  which 
it  has  been  found  important  to 
observe  when  propagating  pecans 
are  ecjually  applicable  in  the  prop¬ 
agation  of  persimmons.  The 
following  directions  for  budding 
pecans  according  to  the  various 
methods  are  therefore  presented 
here.^ 


ANNULAR  BUDDING. 


Fig.  7.— a  shield  or  T  bud  after  considerable  growth 
has  been  made. 

It  is  performed  during  the  midsummer  months  at  such  time  as  the  bark  is  found  to  sli]> 
(release)  most  readily.  In  some  seasons  this  period  may  be  very  brief,  lasting  only  a 
few  days,  while  in  other  years  the  time  during  vdiic  h  annular  budding  may  be  success¬ 
fully  performed  extends  over  a  jieriod  of  several  months.  In  the  latitude  of  southern 
Georgia  it  is  not  uncommon  for  this  method  to  be  successful  from  as  early  as  ^fay  10 
until  late  in  July  or  eA'cn  in  August. 

Annular  budding  consists  merely  in  transferring  a  ring  of  bark  to  which  is  attached 
a  bud  of  the  desired  A'aricty  from  a  bud  stick  ^  to  the  trunk  or  brain  h  of  anotlu  r  t  ree  in 
place  of  a  similar  ring  of  bark  ])reviously  removed.  Siiecially  designed  tools  have 
lieen  devised  for  the  purpose  of  cutting  the  rings.  Two  ordinary  iiropagating  knives 
having  siiigle  blades  may  be  fastened  together  and  made  to  answer  tb.e  ])Ui'|)Ose, 
although  they  are  less  liable  to  make  uniform  incisions.  Cut  a  ring  of  bark  from  the 
stock  with  one  of  the  tools,  slit  it  with  a  single-bladcd  knife,  and  lift  from  its  b(>d  or 
“matrix,”  as  it  is  technically  called.  Discard  this  bark  and  from  the  bud  slick 


The  process  [of  annular  ])udding]  is  also 
known  as  “ring”  and  “flute ”  budding. 


1  Reed,  C.  .A.  The  pecan.  Bureau  of  Plant  Industry  Bulletin  2'A,  jjp.  2.5-31. 

2  The  bud  stick  is  a  branch  cut  from  a  tree  of  the  variety  to  be  propagated. 


12 


FARMERS^  BULLETIN  G85 


remove  a  similar  ring,  in  the  center  of  which  is  a  dormant  hiid.  The  liark  of  the  bud 
stick  should  be  slit  on  the  side  opposite  the  bud.  Immediately  place  this  ring  in  the 
space  left  by  remo^^.ng  the  bark  from  the  stock  and  wrap  at  once  with  waxed  cloth, 
taking  care  not  to  cover  the  bud  (fig.  8). 

PATCH  BUDDING. 

When  the  annular  method  is  used  it  is  obvious  that  the  stock  and  scion  must  be  of 
nearly  the  same  size.  If  the  bud  stick  is  slightly  larger  than  the  stock  a  jiortion  of  t  he 

bark  to  which  the  bud  is 
attached  may  be  cut  away 
so  that  the  two  ends  of 
the  ring  just  meet  around 
the  stock.  If  the  bud  stick 
should  be  smaller  than  the 
stock,  a  st  rip  of  bark  on  the 
latter  may  be  left  in  posi¬ 
tion  to  complete  the  ring. 
In  actual  practice,  rings 
which  extend  only  partly 
around  the  stock  are  most 
commonly  used.  Such 
process,  however,  is  not 
true  annular  budding,  be¬ 
cause  any  bark  which  ex¬ 
tends  only  partly  around 
the  stock  ismerely  apatch. 
It  is  to  this  deviation  from 
the  annular  method  of 
budding  that  the  term 
^  ^  patch  budding  ”  has  been 
applied.  A  tool  sjiecially 
designed  for  patch  bud¬ 
ding  consists  of  four  thin 
steel  blades  fastened  to¬ 
gether  in  the  form  of  a 
rectangle,  five-eighths  of 
an  inch  wide  by  1  inch 
long,  and  is  used  as  a 
punch . 

A  cut  is  made  in  the  bark 
of  the  bud  stick  about  half 
an  inch  in  width  l)y  three 
times  as  long,  in  the  cen¬ 
ter  of  which  is  the  bud. 
The  piece  of  bark  so  out¬ 
lined  is  removed  from  the 
bud  stick  and  laid  over 
that  of  the  stock.  Using 
this  as  a  pattern,  incisions 
are  then  made  around  it 
in  the  bark  of  the  stock. 


Fig.  8. — Annular  Budding,  a,  Bud  stick  from  which  the  hud  has 
been  removed;  b,  the  bud  ready  for  insertion  in  the  matri.x  of  the 
stock;  c,  the  slock  ready  to  receive  the  bud;  d,  the  bud  after  being 
placed  in  position  and  carefully  wrapped;  grow  th  taking  place,  the 
wrapping  having  been  removed;  /,  growth  from  the  bud  supported 
by  being  tied  to  the  stock  (g)  above  the  union.  Note  the  scars  above 
the  union,  wdiere  the  buds  were  removed  in  order  to  direct  the  flow 
of  sap  to  the  neav  bud. 


The  pattern  is  then  removed,  the  section  of  bark  outlintd  in  the  stock  is  lifted, 
and  the  bark  from  the  bud  stick  is  put  in  its  phu-e.  Some  varieties  of  the  pecan  are 
more  difficult  to  bud  successfully  than  others;  with  such  varieties  the  annular  nudhod, 
or  a  near  ap])roach  to  it,  is  generally  most  successful. 

AVith  the  average  sorts,  however,  the  tendency  among  the  more  experienced 
nurserymen  is  much  inclined  to  faAmr  the  ■i)atch  method. 


THE  NATIVE  PERSIMMON. 


13 


liV  L 


The  buds  best  suited  to  annular  or  ],al,h  budding  are  those  in  the  axils  of 
the  leaves  at  the  base  of  the  current  season's  growth.  It  is  well  worth  the  tinie 
required  to  clip  the  leaves  away,  c-lose  to  the  buds,  10  days  or  2  weeks  before 
the  bud  IS  wanted,  for  by  so  doing  the  wound  will  heal  over  before  the  hud  is 
needed;  otherwise  a  serious  lessening  of  the  vigor  of  the  hud  throu-h  (evapora¬ 
tion  may  take  place.  ' 

CARE  OP  ANNULAR  AND  PATCH  BI  DS. 

In  annular  budding  the  added  ring  of  hark  sometimes  unites  with  the  stock  promptly 
permitting  the  upward  flow  of  sap  to  proceed  without  much  interference.  'When  this 
is  the  case  the  top  should  he  carefully  pruned  back  to  such  a  degree  as  is  necessary  to 
direct  sufficient  sap  into  the  new  bud  to  cause  it  to  swell.  This  pruning  should  not 
be  done  with  too  great  severity,  as  an  oversupply  of  sap  is  liable  to  accumulate  under 
the  bark  of  the  new^  bud  and  cause  it  to  decay,  or,  as  it  is  termed,  “  to  drown”  the  bud. 
If  the  tree  is  young  and  the 
growth  has  been  rapid,  pre¬ 
caution  should  be  exercised 
in  cutting  back  the  top,  in 
order  not  to  expose  the  ten¬ 
der  bark  to  the  heat  of  the 
sun.  A  sufficient  amount  of 
foliage  should  be  left  as  a 
protection  from  the  hot  sun. 

If  the  supply  of  sap  be  lim¬ 
ited,  it  will  be  well  to  cut 
out  all  buds  in  the  top  of 
the  stock,  as  shown  in  figure 
8.  All  dormant  buds,  both 
above  and  below  the  new 
bud,  should  be  rubbed  off 
as  soon  as  they  begin  to 
swell.  The  wrapping  about 
the  new  bud  must  be  cut  as 
soon  as  growth  begins.  As 
the  union  of  a  bud  with  a 
stock  made  by  any  method 
of  budding  is  at  first  merely 
the  uniting  together  of  bark 
and  not  of  wood,  it  is  neces¬ 
sarily  w^eak  during  the  first 
few  months.  To  avoid  dan¬ 
ger  of  breaking  out  at  the 
bud,  the  new  tops  should  be 
provided  with  extra  support. 

For  this  purpose  side  stakes 
driven  into  the  ground  are 
sometimes  used,  but  these 
are  expensive 

sary.  By  leacmg  c^  the  bud  scKiurely  tie:l  in  place, 

the  original  top  8  or  10  inches 

long,  entirely  denuded  of  foliage  (fig.  8),  the  new'  top  may  Ix.^  ([uickly  tied  to  it,  and 
when  no  longer  needed  the  dead  stub  may  be  cut  aw'ay  close  to  tlio  union. 


a 


and  unneces-  9.— Chip  or  ‘Ulormant”  budding,  a,  The  bud  stick;  b,  the 

r  -I  £  bud  ready  for  insertion;  c,  the  bud  inserted  in  the  matrix  of  the 
By  leaving  a  stub  ot  ■ 


Cnir  BTTDDING. 

Propagation  by  chip  budding  is  performed  in  the  early  spring  or  late  in  the  dormant 
period.  Because  of  being  done  at  tliis  season  it  is  also  knowni  as  ‘  dormant  Inidding. 


14 


FARMERS^  BULLETIN  685. 

With  a  sharp  knife  a  downward  cut  is  made  below  the  bud  on  the  bud  stick  to  a  depth 
of  perhaps  one-eighth  of  an  inch.  Raising  the  knife  to  a  point  above  the  bud,  a  long 
downward  cut  is  made,  which  meets  the  lower  end  of  the  first  cut,  and  the  bud  is 
removed  with  a  chip  attached,  as  shown  in  figure  9.  A  similar  chip  is  removed  from 
the  stock,  and  the  desired  bud  is  put  in  its  place.  This  should  be  carefully  wrapped 
with  such  material  as  will  hold  the  cambium  layers  of  the  stock  and  the  bud  fiimly 
together  on  at  least  one  side. 

Subsecpient  treatment  similar  to  that  already  described  for  annular  and  patch  bud¬ 
ding  should  be  given  young  trees  propagated  in  this  summer. 

Trees  of  the  pecan  species  are  difTicult  to  propagate  asexually;  that  is,  neither  buds 
nor  scions  “take”  with  the  readiness  of  ordinary  fruit  trees.  The  inexperienced 


Fig.  10.— a  chip  bud  on  a  branch  after  the  bud 
inserted  had  made  considerable  gi’owth. 

operator,  therefore,  must  expect  a  very  low 
percentage  of  li\'ing  buds  as  the  result  of  his 
first  attempts.  Skilled  propagators,  how¬ 
ever,  are  now  so  successful  that  under  favor¬ 
able  conditions  the  percentage  of  failures  is 
no  longer  a  matter  of  consequence. 

No  attempt  to  bud  pecans  should  be  made 
on  rainy  days,  or  in  early  mornings  follow¬ 
ing  heavy  dews.  Some  nurserymen  even  go 
so  far  as  to  select  their  men  for  budding  the 
pecan,  assigning  those  who  perspire  most 
freely  to  other  duties.  Extremely  hot  days 
panied  by  drying  winds, 
best  for  pecan  budding. 


Fig.  11. — Method  of  using  a  bud  protector  on  a 
chip  bud.  The  proteclor  maybe  used  in  a 
similar  maimer  in  all  of  the  different  forms 
of  budding.  A,  stock;  R,  JB,  waxed  cloth 
protectors;  F,  chip  bud  fitted  into  notch  in 
stock;  R,  protector  in  position  over  the  bud; 
R,  protector  and  bud  wrapped  and  tied; 
R,  R,  scars  of  buds  removed  from  stock. 
(Adapted  from  drawing  in  American  Fruit 
and  Nut  Journal,  a’oI.  6,  whole  no.  94,  p.  2.3.) 


should  be  avoided,  especially  if  accom- 
]\Ioderately  cool,  cloudy  days  without  wind  or  rain  are  the 


THE  NATIVE  PEKSIMMON. 


1  5 


Figure  10  shows 
able  growth. 


a  persimmon  chip  ])iul  whicli  lias  mad(^  cousider- 

PROTECTIOX  OP  BUOS. 


A  "v  er\  satisfactory  means  of  affording  protection  to  liiids  iiisortcd 
by  any  of  the  foregoing  methods  is  shown  in  figure  1 1 .  Those  waxed 
shields  are  intended  as  a  substitute  for  the  waxed  strips  previously 
mentioned,  and  their  preparation  and  use  has  been  descrilied  as 
follows  d 


In  making  llie  waxed  wrappers,  old  domestic  from  worn  l)ed  sheets  or  undergarments 
may  be  used.  Tear  it  into  strips  2  feet  long  and  G  inches  wide ,  then  fold  it  into  squares 
and  dip  it  into  a  tin  plate  of  hot,  melted  beeswax.  The  wax  will  strike  throngli 
instantly,  and  then  the  strips  may  be  held  up  by  one  end  and  the  surplus  wax  allowed 
to  drip  back  into  the  tin  plate.  Wlien  cool,  the  cloth  may  l)e  torn  into  *  *  * 
scj^nares  of  proper  size.  No  pressing  or  squeezing  is  necessary.  -The  beeswax  answers 
the  purpose  in  every  way;  its  saAVs  the  bnds,  and  that  is  the  end  in  view.  These 


Fig.  12.— Cleft  graft:  a,  Stock  being  split  by  spe¬ 
cial  grafting  tool;  h,  scion  ready  for  insertion; 
c,  scion  in  place  ready  for  waxing. 

wrappers  may  be  left  on  the  bnds  the 
whole  season.  When  the  bud  shoots  are 
an  inch  or  so  in  length,  the  strings  may 
be  nn wound  from  so  much  of  the  wrap¬ 
pers  as  cover  the  buds;  but  tie  the  upper 
end  of  the  wrapper,  which  is  above  the 
bud,  firmly  to  the  projecting  stub.  The 
eyelets  2  in  the  wrappers  will  open  as  the 
bud  shoots  grow,  and  protection  will  be 
afforded  against  hot  suns  and  chilly 
nights. 

CLEFT  GRAFTING.^ 


Fig.  13.— a  cleft  graft  made  on  a  small  branch. 
Branches  too  large  to  be  worked  by  oilier  methods  can  be  cleK- 


This  style  of  graft  is  particularly 
adapted  to  large  trees  when  for  any 
reason  it  becomes  necessary  to  change 
the  variety, 

grafted.  i  i  i  i  ■■ 

A  branch  1  or  1^-  inches  in  diameter  is  severed  with  a  saw.  Care  should  be  taKcn 

that  the  bark  be  not  loosened  from  any  portion  of  the  stub.  Split  the  exposed  end 

with  a  broad,  thin  chisel  or  grafting  tool  (fig.  12,  a).  Then  Avith  a  wedge  or  the  wi'dge- 

shaped  prong  at  the  end  of  the  grafting  tool  spread  the  cleft  so  that  the  scions  (tig.  12,  h) 

may  be  inserted  (fig.  12,  c).  _ _ 

1  American  Fruit  and  Nut  Journal,  v.  6,  no.  94,  p.  22.  .  r  , , 

2  d'he  eyelet  referred  to  is  the  small  hole  in  the  center  of  the  iirotecdyr  shown  in  figure  11. 

3  Corbett,  L.  C.  The  propagation  of  plants.  Farmer’s  Bulletin  lu. ,  pp.  I- -Is. 


16 


FAKMEES^  BULLETIN  685. 


The  scion  should  consist  of  a  portion  of  the  previous  season’s  growth  and  should  be 
long  enough  to  have  two  or  throe  buds.  The  lower  end  of  the  scion,  which  is  to  be 
inserted  in  the  cleft,  should  be  cut  into  the  shape  of  a  wedge,  having  the  outer  edge 
thicker  than  the  other.  In  general,  it  is  a  good  plan  to  cut  the  scion  so  that  the  lowest 
bud  will  come  just  at  the  top  of  this  wedge,  so  that  it  will  be  near  the  top  of  the  stock. 
The  importance  of  having  an  intimate  connection  between  the  growing  tissues  of  both 
scion  and  stock  can  not  be  too  strongly  emphasized,  for  upon  this  alone  the  success  of 

graf ting  d e p e n d s .  To 
make  this  contact  of  the 
growing  portions  doubly 
certain,  the  scion  is  often 
set  at  a  slight  angle  with 
the  stock  into  which  it  is 
inserted,  in  order  to  cause 
the  growing  portions  of 
the  two  to  cross. 

After  the  scions  have 
been  set  the  operation  of 
cleft  grafting  is  completed 
by  covering  all  cut  sur¬ 
faces  with  a  layer  of  graft¬ 
ing  wax. 

Cleft  grafting  has 
given  satisfactory  re¬ 
sults  with  the  pttr- 
simmon,  l)oth  on  the 
branches  (fig.  13)  and 
at  the  crown  (fig.  14). 


Whip  grafting  is  the 
style  almost  universally 
used  in  root  grafting.  It 
has  the  advantage  of  Ijeing 
well  adapted  to  small 
plants. 

ITe  graft  is  made  by 
cutting  the  stock  off  diag¬ 
onally — one  long  smooth 
cut  with  a  sharp  knife,  as 
shown  in  figure  15,  c. 
Place  the  knife  about  one- 
third  of  the  distance  from 
th(!  end  of  the  cut  surface, 
at  right  angles  to  the  cut, 
and  split  the  stock  in  the 
direction  of  its  long  axis. 
Cut  the  lower  end  of  the 
scion  in  like  manner  (fig. 
15,  b) ,  and  when  the  two  parts  are  forced  together,  as  shown  in  figure  15,  c,  the  cut  surfaces 
will  fit  neatly  together,  and  one  will  nearly  cover  the  other  if  the  scion  and  stock  are  of 


Fig.  14. — A  cleft  graft  made  at  the  crown,  the  soil  which  normally 
covered  the  union  having  been  removed  in  order  to  show  the  parts 
to  better  advantage. 


WHIP  GRAFTING.^ 


1  ('orbett,  Tv.  C.  The  propagation  of  plants.  Farmers’  Bulletin  1.17,  pp.  18-10. 


THE  NATIVE  PERSIMMON. 


17 


the  same  size.  A  difference  in  diameter  of  the  two  parts  to  he  united  mavbedisre- 
S^rded  unless  it  be  too  great.  After  the  scion  ami  stock  have  bemi  locked  together  as 

■shown  m  figure  1.5,  c,  they  should  be  wrapped  with  five  or  six  turns  of  waxed  cotton 
to  hold  the  parts  firmly  together. 

While  top  grafting  may  be  done  in  this  way  (fig.  16),  it  is  in  root  grafting  that  the 
)vhip  graft  finds  its  distinctive  field.  When  the  roots  are  cut  into  lengths  of  2  to  5  or  (5 
inches  to  be  used  as  stocks,  the  operation  is  known  as  piece-root  grafting.  Sometimes 
the  entire  root  is  used. 

In  ordinary  propagation  by  means  of  whip  grafts,  the  scion  is  cut  with  about  three 
buds,  and  the  stock  is  nearly  as  long  as  the  scion.  The  graft  is  so  planted  as  to  bring 
the  union  of  stock  and  scion  not  very  far  below  the  surface  of  the  ground. 

CARR  OF  WHIP  GRAFTS.^ 

Wlieii  grafted  by  the  whip-graft  method  the  young  trees  will  rciiuire  little  subse¬ 
quent  attention  other  than  pruning  and  ordinary  cultivation.  AMien  the  root  is  that 
of  a  very  young  tree  there  will  be  no  danger 
of  the  supply  of  plant  food  being  such  as  to 
induce  a  growth  of  top  that  is  too  rapid,  as  is 
frequently  the  case  with  cleft  grafts,  espe¬ 
cially  in  the  tops  of  old  trees.  While  tempo¬ 
rary  staking  as  a  support  to  the  union  is  not 
necessary,  in  numerous  cases  stakes  will  be 
highly  essential  to  insure  erect  growth.  The 
moisture  of  the  ground  causes  the  wrapping 
material  to  decay  in  the  course  of  a  few 
weeks,  and  it  is  therefore  not  necessarv  to 
cut  the  bands. 


& 


c 


Fig.  15. — Whip  graft:  a,  Stock  prepared;  h, 
scion  prepared;  c,  stock  and  scion  fitted 
together  ready  for  tying. 


The  operation  of  grafting  most 
fruits  is  generally  successful  if  per¬ 
formed  in  the  spring  when  the  trees 
are  still  dormant,  or  even  after 
growth  has  started  slightly,  provided 
the  scions  are  entirely  dormant.  In 
the  case  of  the  persimmon,  however, 
much  more  satisfactory  results  appear  to  be  obtained  when  the  gmft- 
ing  is  delayed  until  the  trees  have  definitely  stjirted  into  new  growth. 
The  scions  must  he  kept  dormant. 

In  all  of  the  various  methods  of  budding  and  grafting  the  per¬ 
simmon  it  is  of  the  utmost  importance  that  the  cut  surfaces  of  both 
bark  and  wood  be  protected  with  as  little  delay  as  possible  from 
chemical  change  due  to  exposure  to  the  air.  Protection  is  afforded 
by  covering  the  wounds  with  grafting  wax,  waxed  cloth,  or  similai 

devices 

STOCKS  AND  NURSERY  TREES. 

The  stocks  in  the  nursery  row  should  stand  at  least  6  inches  apart, 
to  afford  space  for  root  development  and  to  give  the  workmen  plenty 
of  room  when  the  trees  are  budded  or  grafted.  I  he  ^oung  tiees 


1  Reed,  C.  A.  The  pecan.  Bureau  of  riant  Industry  Bulletin  251,  p.  25. 


IS 


FAHMEHS  Hr  LLETIX  (ISf). 


ill  tho  iuirs(‘i’v  should  rccoivo  fjiir  cult i VHtioii,  and  the  roots  should 
l)c  ])ruucd  ciudi  year  with  a  tree  digger  or  spade  in  order  to  keep  the 
root  system  small  enough  to  he  handled  with  ease  when  the  trees  are 
dug.  The  2-y(air-old  roots  are  always  ])referahle  for  stocks.  Older 
roots  which  are  small  enough  to  ho  easily  handled  are  likely  to  he 


Fig.  16. — A  whip  graft  after  at¬ 
taining  considerable  growth. 

stunted,  and  l-vear- 
old  roots  must  he  A^ery 
thrifty  to  produce  the 
desired  growth  in  the 
graft. 

o 


Tl'et'S  \\^hi(*h  haA^e  l^.— Persimmon  trees  after  making  one  season’s  growth  in  the 

.  Ill  nursery.  These  trees  were  propagated  by  grafting  on  seedling 

bei'n  produced  under  stocks.  The  bundle  on  the  left  is  the  Golden  Ocm  varietj^;  on  the 

conditions  favorallle  right,  the  Aliller.  The  largest  trees  arc  4  to  5  feet  tall.  The  dif- 

^  I  -1  ,  ference  in  the  size  of  the  trees  in  the  two  bundles  is  duo  to  the  difTer- 

101  ClCA  (  lopnu  lit  mai  ence  in  the  natural  vigor  of  growth  of  thCvSe  two  sorts. 

he  planted  in  their 

])ermanent  location  after  they  luiA’^e  made  one  season’s  groAAdh  in  the 
nursery.  SonuM'arieties^hoAveA^i'r,  arc  much  more  A^igorous  than  others. 
It  may  he  adA'isahle  to  groAV  the  AA^eaker  sorts  in  the  nurseiy  for  two  years 


THE  NATIVE  PERSIMMON. 


19 


before  transplanting  them.  Figure  17  shows  two  varieties  of  grafted 
persimmon  trees  that  have  made  one  season’s  growth  in  the  nursery. 

On  aeeount  of  the  very  long  taproot  whieli  persimmon  trees  ha¬ 
bitually  develop,  particularly  when  propagated  on  seedling  slocks, 
much  care  must  be  exercised  to  avoid  undue  injury  to  the  root  sys¬ 
tems  when  the  trees  are  dug  from  the  nursery.  Moreover,  because 
of  the  deep-1  ooting  habits  of  these  trees  a  deep  sod  should  he  selected 
for  their  permanent  location. 

CULTIVATION  OF  THE  PERSIMMON. 

PLANTING. 

The  transplanting  of  the  young  trees  may  be  done  at  any  time 
during  the  dormant  period,  from  late  autumn  to  early  spring,  when 
the  roots  can  be  protected  from  freezing  temperatures  and  evapora¬ 
tion  and  when  the  soil  is  in  a  suitable  condition  for  handling.  If  the 
trees  have  been  properly  taken  up  without  undue  injury  to  tlu' 
roots,  the  tops  will  need  little  or  no  pruning.  If,  on  the  other  hand, 
the  root  systems  have  been  severely  reduced,  the  tops  should  he 
headed  back  until  the  total  length  of  branches  and  trunks  corre¬ 
sponds  in  a  general  way  to  the  total  length  of  the  main  roots.  Wounds 
on  both  tops  and  roots  should  be  waxed  as  soon  as  made. 

Young  persimmon  trees  have  large,  deep  root  systems  {iiul  should 
be  planted  2  or  3  inches  deeper  in  the  orchard  than  they  were  in  the 
nursery  row.  In  setting  them  out  the  soil  should  be  packed  thor¬ 
oughly  around  the  roots.  A  round-pointed  wooden  tamp  is  a  very 
serviceable  tool  with  which  to  make  the  earth  compact  as  the  hole 
is  filled  up.  The  planting  plan  varies  with  the  type  of  tree  desired. 
If  it  seems  desirable  to  grow  low-headed  trees  with  the  expectation 
of  producing  large  fruit  that  can  be  readily  picked  by  hand,  the  per¬ 
manent  trees  should  be  placed  at  least  16  or,  better  still,  20  feet 
apart  each  way.  If,  however,  a  large  bulk  of  fruit  is  desired  as  stock 
feed  to  be  scraped  from  the  ground  or  picked  up  by  animals,  a  fair 
degree  of  success  mav  be  expected  if  the  trees  are  planted  10  feet 
apart  each  way. 

TILLAGE. 

Probably  the  persimmon  can  be  more  successfully  intercropped 
than  any  other  fruit  tree,  owing  to  the  depth  of  its  root  system 
Blackberries,  dewberries,  strawberries,  and  vegetables  thrive  very 
well  among  persimmons  until  the  shade  becomes  too  dense.  M  hen 
the  trees  shade  the  ground,  it  is  best  to  seed  down  the  orchard  if  it 
is  to  be  used  as  a  run  for  chickens,  calves,  pigs,  or  other  animals  and 
the  fruit  used  as  stock  feed.  If  it  is  planned  to  produce  fruit  for 
market  purposes,  however,  the  same  cultivation  should  be  given  the 
ground  as  in  a  (‘omnier(*ial  orchaixl  ot  ]')each  or  other  fruit  tiees. 


20 


FARMERS^  BULLETIN  685. 


PRUNING. 

The  pruning  of  the  persimmon  varies  with  the  variety.  There  is 
a  tendency  for  the  tree  to  prune  itself,  as  many  of  the  fruit-hearing 
twigs  die  and  drop  off  with  their  fruit,  thus  making 'the  natural 
open  growth  of  the  trees  still  more  open  and  reducing  to  a  minimum 
the  necessity  for  pruning.  There  are  two  points,  however,  which 
should  he  borne  in  mind:  (1)  The  upright  tendency  of  some  of  the 
most  vigorous  varieties  should  be  checked  by  pinching  off  the  tender 
growing  tips  as  they  get  out  of  reach,  and  (2)  those  trees  that  do  not 
prune  themselves  sufficiently  to  keep  the  top  well  open  should  be 
thinned  by  removing  entire  limbs  either  main  or  secondary.  This 
practice  is  preferable  to  opening  the  tops  by  thinning  out  the  small 
branches  and  thus  leaving  the  larger  limbs  bare  for  a  considerable 
portion  of  their  length.  Thinning  admits  light  and  air,  and  at  the 
same  time  a  stronger  vegetative  growth  is  induced  ;  the  result  is  that 
the  size  of  the  fruit  is  kept  uniform  and  the  crops  are  made  more 
regular  by  reducing  the  tendency  to  overbear  on  alternate  years. 

All  wounds  should  be  painted  or  otherwise  covered  as  soon  as  made, 
in  order  to  prevent  the  wood  from  drying  or  dying  back  and  decay 
from  entering  the  body  of  the  trees. 

DISEASES  AND  INSECT  PESTS. 

The  persimmon  is  exceptionally  free  from  the  attacks  of  diseases 
and  insect  pests.  Probably  the  most  important  of  the  insnct  ene¬ 
mies  of  the  persimmon  is  the  hickory  twig  girdler.  The  following 
brief  account  of  the  life  history  and  habits  of  this  insect,  prepared 
for  this  bulletin  by  the  Bureau  of  Entomology,  may  be  of  interest  to 
those  who  anticij^ate  growing  the  persimmon: 

The  hickory  twig  girdler,  Oncideres  cingulata  Say,  makes  its  appearance  about  the 
middle  of  August  and  may  be  found  until  the  first  of  October.  It  begins  depositing 
its  eggs  about  the  latter  part  of  August  and  continues  the  process  well  into  October. 
The  eggs  hatch  in  from  seven  to  nine  days  after  deposition,  and  the  young  larva  begins 
to  feed  on  the  inner  bark  and  wood  at  the  point  where  the  egg  was  inserted  beneath 
the  bark.  As  the  larva  increases  in  size  it  continues  to  feed  on  t  he  wood,  going  deeper 
into  the  twig,  and  by  the  time  its  full  growth  has  been  attained  it  often  completely 
hollows  out  the  twig  for  some  little  distance  from  the  point  where  it  began  work. 
Some  of  the  larvae  attain  their  full  growth  and  begin  transformation  to  pupae  about 
the  first  of  August.  Others  do  not  make  this  change  until  near  the  middle  of  Sep¬ 
tember.  The  pupal  stage  lasts  from  10  to  14  days,  when  the  insects  transform  to 
adults  and  emerge  from  the  twigs  where  they  have  spent  their  lives.  Several  days 
pass  before  they  begin  laying  their  eggs  in  the  small  limbs  and  twigs. 

The  injury  caused  by  this  insect  occurs  in  the  process  of  oviposition.  The  adult 
gnaws  a  small  hole  in  the  bark,  usually  just  above  or  just  below  a  bud,  and  the  egg 
is  inserted  beneath  the  bark  by  means  of  the  ovipositor.  Several  eggs  are  usually 
deposited  in  a  twig  in  this  manner,  and  the  insect  then  begins  girdling  the  twig  beneath 
the  point  of  oviposition  by  gnawing  out  small  pieces  of  the  bark.  A  ring  is  thus  made 
around  the  twig,  perhaps  a  third  of  the  way  through,  weakening  it  to  such  an  extent 
that  it  is  broken  off  by  the  wind  during  the  winter  or  the  following  spring.  The 
trees  are  often  severely  injured  by  having  the  young  growth  pruned  off  in  this  manner. 


THE  NATIVE  PERSIMMON. 


21 


In  order  to  control  this  insect  the  twigs  should  be  picked  up  from  the  ground  in 
June  or  early  July.  All  twigs  which  are  found  at  this  time  have  been  girdled  and 
broken  from  the  tree  and  should  be  collected  and  burned  in  order  to  destroy  the 
insects  which  are  inside  them. 


USES  OF  THE  PERSIMMON  TREE. 


The  largest  purchases  of  persimmon  wood  are  made  by  the  manu¬ 
facturers  of  cotton-mill  supplies,  who  use  the  timber  in  making 
bobbins.  The  wood  is  well  suited  for  this  work,  as  it  is  strong, 
comparatively  light,  hard,  elastic,  and  close  grained,  taking  a  high 
polish.  Shoe  lasts  are  also  made  to  some  extent  from  persimmon 
wood. 

The  tree  has  some  value  for  shade  and  ornamental  purposes.  Con¬ 
cerning  this  use  of  the  native  persimmon  Mr.  F.  L.  Mulford,  land¬ 
scape  gardener  of  the  Department  of  Agriculture,  writes  as  follows: 

As  an  ornamental  for  lawns  the  persimmon  compares  favorably  with  any  of  the 
shade  trees  used  on  private  grounds,  provided  that  it  does  not  overhang  a  sidewalk, 
where  the  dropping  of  fruits  would  be  objectionable.  The  broad,  glossy  leaves  on 
the  gracefully  drooping' branches  give  a  dense  shade  from  early  in  the  spring  until 
the  autumn  is  well  advanced. 

.  In  the  early  summer  the  little  waxlike  flowers  fill  the  air  with  a  delicious  fragrance, 
somewhat  re.se mbling  that  of  the  calla  lily.  When  the  fruit  begins  to  mature,  yel¬ 
lowish  and  golden  clusters  appear  among  the  dark -green  leaves  and  add  to  the  beauty 
of  the  tree  until  they  fall.  Some  of  the  later  varieties  are  ornamental  after  the 
leaves  have  fallen  and  even  until  well  into  the  winter. 


USES  OF  THE  PERSIMMON  FRUIT. 

The  only  fruit  which  equals  the  persimmon  in  food  value  is  the 
date.  This  is  shown  by  the  analyses  presented  in  Table  I. 

Table  I  .—Comparative  analyses  of  fresh  fruits,  showing  their  food  values  in  percentages 

of  the  weight  of  the  fruit  d 


Fruit. 

Total 

solids. 

Ash. 

Protein. 

Sugars. 

Crude 

fiber. 

Per  cent. 
13. 65 

Per  cent. 
0.  28 

Per  cent. 
0. 69 

J\r  cent. 
10.  26 

Per  cent. 
0.9<i 

13.  59 

.48 

.51 

4.  44 

5.  21 

22. 30 

.65 

.81 

11.72 

.62 

15.  23 

.72 

.51 

6. 38 

4. 

2  3  66.  80 

20. 13 

2  21.  S3 

U.20 

.57 

.53 

0  1.48 
1.34 
.59 

6  56.  59 
15.  51 

9  17. 11 

7  3.  80 

3.t50 

13.  87 

.43 

.48 

1.5.  91 

Oranges  (iNa\ei; . . 

2  10.  60 

.40 

.70 

6  5. 90 

3.  60 

16.  97 

.31 

.  36 

8.  26 

4.  30 

2  3.5. 17 

.78 

.88 

9  31.74 

1.  43 

15. 14 

.61 

.40 

3.  56 

4.34 

13.  79 

.49 

.  53 

3. 95 
5.  3() 

.).  90 

9.48 

.60 

.97 

1.  51 

— 

1  Data,  with  e.xceptions  as  noted,  from  Bureau  of  Chemistry  Bulletin  (iO,  pp.  41-42. 

3  Averages  p  palyses.  See  “Chemistry  imd  ripening  of  the  date,"  Arizona  Agricultural  K.xi.eriment 

and  nutritive  value  of  food."  Farmers'  Bulletin  142,  p  LS. 

5  Adapted  from  the  two  publications  mentioned  in  footnotes  3  and  4. 

6  Fats  and  carbohydrates 

7  Qpp  “TJqp  of  fruit  as  food,  Farmers’ Bulletin  29.1,  I>.  14. 

8  See  “The  American  persimmon,"  Indiana  Experiment  Station  Bulletin  bO  (189b),  p. 

10  A\4^rage”on^inalys^^^  ‘  The  American  persimmon,"  Indiana  Experiment  Station  Bulletin  60  (1896). 


22 


FAEMEES^  BULLETIN  085. 


Probably  the  most  common  use  of  the  fruit  is  as  feed  for  hot^s.  As 
a  rule,  the  hogs  are  merely  turned  loose  in  lots  where  persimmon 
trees  have  come  up  naturally.  Some,  however,  who  appreciate  the 
value  of  this  fruit  as  stock  feed  have  set  out  orchards  in  order”  to 
provide  a  definite  supply  for  this  purpose.  If  varieties  are  selected 
which  ripen  in  a  continuous  sequence,  the  fruit  will,  in  some  sections, 
furnish  forage  for  hogs  from  the  last  of  August  until  early  winter.  A 
small  area  devoted  to  persimmons  can  thus  be  made  a  valuable  asset 
for  any  general  farm  located  in  a  persimmon  district  which  includes 
hogs  among  its  stock. 

The  persimmon  fruits  intended  for  shipment  should,  to  avoid 
bruising,  be  carefully  hand  picked  while  still  quite  firm,  that  is,  just 
as  the  flesh  begins  to  soften.  Fruits  which  can  be  delivered  direct 
to  the  consumer  should  not  be  picked  until  fully  mature  and  should 
also  be  handled  with  great  care.  Fruit  of^the  later  varieties,  espe¬ 
cially  those  of  the  oblong  type,  often  hang  on  tlie  trees  for  weeks, 
drying  to  about  the  consistency  of  the  commercial  date. 

Quart  and  pint  size  berry  boxes  are  commonly  used  when  packing 
the  fruit  for  market,  the  baskets  being  handled  in  the  ordinary  straw¬ 
berry  crates.  Larger  units  would  result  in  bruising  the  softer  fruits 
and  are  therefore  not  advisable.  Crates  in  which  the  individual 
fruits  are  placed  in  separate  compartments  are  suggested  for  shipping 
the  better  grades  of  persimmons,  and  it  is  believed  that  a  trade  which 
will  fully  repay  the  expense  and  trouble  of  this  method  of  handling 
can  be  built  up  in  any  town  of  moderate  size.  Persimmons  which 
are  placed  in  storage  should  bo  packed  in  egg  crates  or  similar  con¬ 
tainers  that  hold  the  fruits  separate. 

RECIPES  FOR  USING  PERSIMMONS. 

Before  the  advent  of  the  white  man,  the  Indians  mixed  the  pulp 
of  this  fruit  with  crushed  corn  and  made  it  into  a  kind  of  bread. 
Now,  there  are  many  ways  in  which  the  fruit  can  be  used,  but  the 
different  methods  are  not  well  known,  and  many  people  with  fine 
trees  in  their  possession  are  allowing  the  fruit  to  waste  because  they 
do  not  realize  its  value.  The  dissemination  of  knowledge  regarding 
the  use  of  the  persimmon  in  preparing  very  palatable  food  products 
should  result  in  much  wider  use  of  the  fruit.  To  this  end  a  number 
of  recipes  are  included  in  this  publication. 

Since  heat  makes  the  astringency  of  the  persimmon  more  apparent, 
it  is  always  well  to  add  one-half  teaspoonful  of  baking  soda  (bicar¬ 
bonate  of  soda)  to  each  cupful  of  persimmon  ])ulp  in  all  recipes 
where  the  fruit  is  subjected  to  heat.  Althougli  it  has  been  proved  by 
experiment  that  the  soda  may  be  omitted  if  the  fruit  is  entirely 
free  from  astringency,  it  is  better  to  use  it  until  one  is  sur(‘  of  the 
quality  of  tlie  persimmon  pulp. 


THE  NATIVE  PERSIMMON. 


23 


PERSIMMON  BREAD. 

1  cup  of  persimmon  pulp.  Yeast. 

1  cup  of  water.  Shortening. 

^  teaspoonful  of  soda.  Plour  to  make  a  stiff  dough. 

Set  to  rise,  mold,  and  bake  like  other  bread. 

PERSIMMON  CRUMPETS. 

Take  1  pint  of  the  sponge  of  persimmon  bread  which  has  been  set  over  night,  add  one 
.  egg  and  enough  milk  to  make  a  thin  batter,  set  to  rise  for  one  hour,  then  bake  on  a  liot 
griddle  like  griddlecakes.  Serve  hot  with  butter  or  sirup. 

PE RSIMM ON  G RIDDLECAKES . 


1  cu]!  of  persimmon  pulp. 
1  egg. 

1  cup  (-f  flour. 

Bake  and  serve  as  above. 


1  teaspoonful  of  baking  poM'der 
^  teaspoonful  of  soda. 

Milk  to  make  a  thin  batter. 


PERSIMMON-PEANUT  GRIDDLECAKES. 

1  cup  of  persimmon  pulp.  '  1  teaspoonful  (i  leaking  powder. 

1  tablespoonful  of  peanut  butter.  4  teaspoonful  of  soda. 

1  egg.  Milk  to  make  a  thin  batter. 

1  cup  of  flour. 

Bake  and  serve  as  above. 

PERSIM.MON-PEANUT  MUFFINS  (a  GOOD  RECIPE  FOR  CAMPERS). 

h  cup  of  persimmon  pulp.  1  teaspoonful  of  baking  powder, 

i  tablespoonful  of  peanut  butter.  ^  teaspoonful  of  soda. 

1  cup  of  flour. 

Press  or  cut  in  pats  b  inch  thick  and  bake  in  a  quick  oven. 


COFFEE  FRUIT  CAKE. 


Boil  together  1  cup  of  molasses  and  1^  cups  of  minced  dried  persimmons  foi  ^i^'e 
minutes.  Cream  1  cup  of  sugar,  |  cup  of  butter  and  1  egg,  and  add  to  the  above. 
Stir  in  three-fourths  of  a  cup  of  strong  coffee  and  place  on  a  warm  stove.  Add  2  cups 
of  flour;  teaspoonfuls  of  mixed  ground  spice;  teaspoonfuls  of  a  phosphate  baking 
powder,  or  if  preferred,  1  teaspoonful  of  baking  powder  and  \  teaspoonful  of  soda. 

Bake  in  a  moderate  or  slow  oven  40  minutes  to  1  hour. 


PERSIMMON  CAKE. 

1  cup  of  persimmon  pulp. 

^  cup  of  sugar. 

1  O  <>*<>* 

Butter  of  size  of  a  walnut. 

Bake  40  minutes  in  a  moderate  oven.  For  a  soft  pudding  leave  out  the  eggs.  For 
a  custard  leave  out  the  flour  and  the  baking  powder. 

PERSIMMON  PUDDING  (CAKE  OR  PONE).^ 

1  pint  of  fine  jjersimmon  jiulp.  3  cups  of  flour. 

1  cup  of  sugar.  1  teaspoonful  of  ground  cinnamon. 

I  quart  of  sweet  milk.  2  teaspoonfuls  of  baking  powder. 


1  cup  of  flour. 

1  teaspoonful  of  baking  powder. 
^  teaspoonful  of  soda. 


I  The  American  persimmon.  Indiana  Experiment  Station  Bulletin  CO,  pp.  43-54, 1896. 


24 


farmers"  bulletin  685. 


PRESERVED  PERSIMMON  PULP. 

Place  equal  amounts  of  persimmon  pulp  and  sugar  in  glass  or  earthen Vv^are  jars  or  in 
■coated  sanitary  cans.  (Never  use  cans  of  uncoated  tin  for  persimmons.)  Mix 
thoroughly  and  set  in  a  cool,  light  place.  Stir  occasionally  until  the  air  is  removed 
and  seal  with  paraffin  or  waxed  paper.  The  cans  may  be  heated  over  a  slow  fire, 
just  enough  to  drive  out  the  air,  and  should  be  sealed  at  once. 

PRESERVED  WHOLE  PERSIMMONS. 

Put  a  thin  layer  of  sugar  in  the  bottom  of  a  jar;  then  a  layer  of  whole  ripe  persim- 
moiL«.  then  a  layer  of  sugar;  and  so  on  until  the  jar  is  full.  The  sugar  will  soon  dis¬ 
solve  and  form  a  sirup.  Press  the  upper  fruits  down  under  the  sirup  or  add  more 
sirup  to  the  jars.  Seal  and  store  until  used.  The  sirup  may  be  drained  off  and 
the  fruits  served  like  dates,  which  they  will  resemble  very  much  in  both  appear¬ 
ance  and  flavor. 

PERSIMMON  LEATHER. 

Spread  a  thin  layer  of  ripe  persimmon  pulp  on  waxed  paper  or  on  a  large  platter. 
Dry  in  the  sun,  in  a  fruit  evaporator,  or  in  the  oven  of  a  stove,  leaving  the  oven  doors 
open.  Remove  the  seeds.  Add  another  layer  of  pulp,  and  repeat  until  the  leather 
is  of  a  thickness  to  handle  easily.  This  may  be  diced  or  minced  and  i:sed  instead  of 
raisins  or  citron  in  fruit  cakes,  cookies,  or  puddings. 

PERSIMMON  ICE  CREAM. 

2  cups  of  persimmon  pulp.  1  cup  of  thick,  sweet  cream. 

Beat  together  thoroughly  and  freeze  like  ordinary  ice  cream.  The  fruit  must  be 
thoroughly  ripe  and  nonastringent. 

^  PERSIMMON  FRUIT  ICE. 

2  cups  of  persimmon  pulp.  1  cup  of  sugar. 

Beat  to  a  creamy  pulp  and  freeze. 

PERSIMMON  TAFFY. 

Two  cups  of  the  sirup  from  the  preserved  whole  persimmons.  Add  1  cup  of  sugar 
and  cook  until  it  forms  a  hard  ball  in  water.  Pour  on  a  buttered  platter  and  pull. 
Cut  in  sticks  and  squares. 

PERSIMMON  FUDGE. 

2  cups  of  persimmon  pulp.  2  cups  of  sugar. 

Cook  over  a  slow  fire,  stirring  occasionally,  until  graining  begins.  Add  1  tea¬ 
spoonful  of  baking  soda  and  stir  over  the  fire  until  quite  stiff.  Spread  on  buttered 
platter  or  paraffin  paper. 

SELECTED  AND  CULTIVATED  NAMED  VARIETIES. 

The  native  persiininoii  varieties  that  have  thus  far  received  names 
and  been  disseminated  for  cidtivation  have  originated  as  chance 
seedlings,  being  brought  into  cultivation  from  the  wild  state.  With 
few  exceptions,  the  fruits  of  these  varieties  are  of  the  oblate  type. 
Brief  descriptions  of  the  fruit  of  some  of  the  lietter  known  varieties 
follow. 


THE  NATIVE  PERS i:\IM ON. 


25 


DESCRIPTIONS  OF  VARIETIES. 

Early  Golden.  Origin,  Illinois,  where  it  ripens  in  September;  form,  oblong;  size, 
medium  to  large;  color,  yellow;  skin,  thin;  seeds,  few;  flavor,  sweet;  quality, 
very  good. 

Golden  Gem.  Introduced  from  Borden,  Ind.,  where  it  ripens  from  August  to 
October;  form,  roundish  oblong;  size,  medium  to  large;  color,  dark  orange  to  red; 
seeds,  few;  flavor,  rich  and  sweet;  quality,  good. 

Hicks.  Origin,  Washington  County,  Ind.,  where  it  ripens  in  October;  form,  roundish 
oblate;  size,  medium  to  large;  color,  dark  red;  skin,  thin  and  tender;  seeds,  few; 
flavor,  rich;  quality,  very  good. 

Josephine  {American  Honey ^  Honey).  Origin  near  Bluffton,  Mo.,  where  it  ripens 
in  September;  form,  roundish  oblate;  size,  medium;  color,  bright  yellow,  chaiiging 
to  pale  translucent;  skin,  tough;  seeds,  few;  flavor,  sweet  and  rich;  quality,  good. 
Miller.  Origin,  Jackson  County,  Mo.,  where  it  ripens  in  September;  form,  roundish 
olflate;  size,  large;  color,  reddish  yellow,  translucent;  skin,  tough;  seeds,  rather 
numerous;  flavor,  sweet;  quality,  good. 

Ruby  {Little’s  Ruby).  Introduced  from  Cartersburg,  Ind.,  where  it  ripens  during 
September  and  for  some  time  later;  form,  roundish  oblate;  size,  small  to  medium; 
color,  yellowish  red,  shading  to  deep  red;  skin,  tender:  seeds,  few;  flavor,  sweet; 
quality,  very  good. 

Other  varieties,  including  the  Ford,  Garretson,  Glidewell,  and  Leona,  are  here 
named  for  the  information  of  the  reader.  Still  other  varieties  have  received  names, 
but  it  is  doubtful  in  many  cases  whether  trees  of  these  sorts  are  now  available  from 
any  source. 


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FARMERS’  BULLETINS  RELATING  TO  FRUIT  GROWING  ETC.,  AVAILABLE 

FOR  FREE  DISTRIBUTION. 


157.  The  Propaijat  ion  of  Plants. 

181.  Pruning. 

440.  Spraying  Peaches  for  the  ('onirol  of  Brown-Rot,  Scab,  and  Curculio. 
471.  Grape  Propagation,  Pruning,  and  Training. 

482.  The  Pear  and  How  to  Grow  It. 

643.  Blackberry  Culture. 


670.  Field  Mice  as  Farm  and  Orchard  Pests. 

675.  The  Round-Headed  Apple-Tree  Borer. 

685.  The  Native  Persimmon. 

696.  Handling  and  Shipping  Citrus  PTuits  in  the  Gulf  States. 

702.  Cottontail  Rabbits  in  Relation  to  Trees  and  Farm  (  Tops. 

710.  Bridge  Grafting  of  Fruit  Trees. 

727.  Growing  Fruit  for  Home  Use  in  the  Great  Plains  Area. 

728.  Dewberry  Culture. 

758.  Muscadine  Grape  Sirup. 

-763.  Orchard  Barkbeetles  and  Pinhole  Borers,  and  How  to  Control  Them. 

776.  Growing d 'berries  East  of  the  Rocky  Mountains. 

794.  Citrus-Fruit  Improvement:  How  to  Secure  and  Use  Tree-Performance  Records. 
852,  Management  of  Common  Storage  Houses  for  Apples  in  the  Pacific  Northwest. 
859.  Home  Uses  for  Muscadine  Grapes. 

864,  Practical  Information  for  Beginners  in  Irrigation. 

871.  Fresh  Vegetables  and  Fruits  as  Conservers  of  Other  Sta])l(*  Foods. 

887.  Raspberry  Culture. 

900.  Homemade  Fruit  Butters. 

901.  Everbearing  Strawberries. 

908.  Information  for  Fruit  Growers  about  Insecticides,  Spraying  Apparatus,  and 


Important  Insect  Pests. 

917.  Growing  Peaches:  Sites  and  Cultural  Methods. 

918.  Peach  Varieties  and  Their  Classification. 

933.  Spraying  for  the  Control  of  Insects  and  Mites  Attacking  Citrus  Trees  in 
938,  Apple  Bitter-Rot  and  Its  Control. 

979.  Preparation  of  Strawberries  for  Market. 

984.  Farm  and  Home  Drying  of  Fruits  and  Vegetables. 

998.  Culture  of  the  Logan  Blackberry  and  Related  Varieties. 


Kloriila. 


1001.  Growing  Fruit  for  Home  Use. 

1011.  The  Woolly  White  Fly  in  Florida  C'itrus  Groves. 

1016.  Propagation  and  Culture  of  the  Date  Palm. 

1024.  Currants  and  Gooseberries. 

1026.  Strawberry  Culture:  South  Atlantic  and  Gulf  Coast  lU'gions. 

1027.  Strawberry  Culture:  Western  United  States. 

1028.  Strawberry  Culture:  Eastern  United  States. 

1031.  Fig  Growing  in  the  South  Atlantic  and  Gulf  States. 

1033.  Muscadine  Grape  Paste. 

1043.  Strawberry  Varieties  in  the  United  States. 


1053.  Control  of  Cherry  r>eaf-Spot. 

1056.  Controlling  Important  Fungous  and  Insect  Enemies 
Sections  of  the  Pacific  Northwest. 


of  the  Pear  in  the  Humid 


27 


28  FARMERS’  BULLETINS  RELATING  TO  FRUIT  GROMING,  ETC. 

1065.  The  Flat-Headed  Apple-Tree  Borer. 

1075.  Unfermented  Grape  Juice:  IIow  to  Make  It  in  tho  Homo. 

1080.  Preparation  of  Barreled  Apples  for  Market. 

1096.  Frost  and  the  Prevention  of  Damage  by  It. 

1120.  Control  of  Apple  Powdery  Mildew. 

1128.  Control  of  Aphids  Injurious  to  Orchard  Fruits,  <Mrrant,  ( JooK<d)erry,  an<l  Grape 
1160.  Diseases  of  Apples  in  Storage. 

1178.  Tree  Surgery. 

1196.  Standard  Containers  for  Fruits  and  Vegetables. 

1204.  Northwestern  Apple  Packing  Houses. 

1211.  Home  Canning  of  Fruits  and  Vegetables. 

1220.  Insect  and  Fungous  Enemies  of  the  Grape. 

1237.  Pineapple  Culture  in  Florida. 

1242.  Permanent  Fruit  and  Vegetable  Gardens. 

1246.  The  Peach  Borer:  Howto  Prevent  or  Lessen  Its  Ravages;  the  Para-T>ichloro- 
benzene  Treatment. 

1249.  Olive  Growing  in  the  Southwestern  United  Stat(^s. 

1250.  Green  Manuring. 

1264.  Farm  Manufacture  of  Unfermented  Apple  Juice. 

1266.  Preparation  of  Peaches  for  Market. 

1270.  The  More  Important  Apple  Insects. 

1284.  Apple-Orchard  Renovation. 

1286.  The  Red-Necked  Raspberry  Cane-Borer. 

1309.  Control  of  the  Common  Mealybug  on  Citrus  in  California. 

1318.  Greenhouse  Construction  and  Heating. 

1321.  Fumigation  of  Citrus  Trees  for  Control  of  Insect  Pests. 

1343.  Culture  of  Citrus  Fruits  in  the  Gulf  States. 


(MMiAM/ATlON  OF  THE  IMTEI)  STATES  HEPVKTMENT  OF 

AOKKULTIKE. 


t<ecr€t(iry  of  Agriculture _ 

.  1  s^iiftunt  Secret  a  nj _ 

Director  of  Scientific  Work _ 

Director  of  Regulatory  Work _ 

Meat  her  Bureau _ 

Bureau  of  Agricultural  Rcononiics 

Bureau  of  Animat  Industry _ 

Bureau  of  Plant  Industry _ 

Forest  Serrice _ 

Bureau  of  ('hernistry _ 

Bureau  of  Soils _ 

Bureau  of  Entomology _ 

Bureau  of  Biological  Surrey _ 

liurc<ni  (tf  Public  Roads _ 


Hknry  C.  Wallace, 
C.  W.  PUGvSLEY. 

K.  I).  Kai,l. 


- Charles  F.  .Marvin,  Chief. 

___  Henry  C.  Taylor,  Chief. 

- John  I(.  Mohler,  Chief. 

- William  A.  Taylor,  Chief. 

- W.  r*.  Greeley,  Chief. 

- Walter  G.  Camphell,  Acting  (liief. 

_ Milton  MTiitney,  Chief. 

_ L.  O.  Howard,  Chief. 

_ K.  \V,  Nelson,  Chief. 

_ Thomas  H,  MacDonald,  ('hief. 


Fid-ed  Nitrogen  Research  Laboratory _  F.  G.  Cottreli.,  Director. 

Divis'ioti  of  Accounts  and  Disbursements.^  A.  Zappone,  Chief. 

Division  of  Publications _ Edwin  C.  Powell,  Acting  ('hi<  f. 

Library _ Clarihel  U.  Barnett,  Librarian. 

States  Relations  Serrice _ A.  C.  True,  Director. 

Federal  Horticultural  Board _ C.  Ti.  ^Iarlatt,  Chairman. 

Insecticide  and  Fungicide  Board _  J.  K.  Haywood,  Chairman. 

Packers  and  Stockyards  Adrn inistrat ion --^Cuesteu  Morrill,  Assistant  to  the 
Grain  Future  Trading  .Vet  .idministratiou-  j  Secretary. 

Office  of  the  Solicitor _ K.  M'.  MTlliams.  SoliOfor. 


Tliis  Imiletin  is  n  coiitrihiitioii  from — 


Bureau  of  Plant  Industry _ 

Office  of  Horticultural  and  Poinologi- 
ca I  I n  restiga tion s - - 


M'illiam  a.  Tayi.or,  Chief. 


1,.  ( ’.  CORDETT, 

(liarge. 


llorticult  urist 
20 


in 


ADDITIONAL  COPIES 

OF  THIS  PUBLICATIOX  M.\Y  BE  PROCURF.l)  FROM 
THE  srPERINTENDENT  OF  DOCI  MENTS 
GOVERNMENT  PRINTING  OFFICE 
■WASHINGTON,  D.  C  . 

AT 

(  ENTS  PER  COPY 


PURCHASER  AGREES  NOT  TO  RESELL  OR  DISTRIBUTE  THIS 
COPY  FOR  PROFIT. — PUB.  RES.  57,  APPROVED  MAY*  11,  linK 

V 


WASHINGPON  :  GOVERNMENT  PRl.VTINM  OFFICE  :  1'«l'7. 


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